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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 385, 13 April 1880, Page 3

A man was denouncing newspaper advertisements to a crowd of listeners. " Last week," said he I had an umbrella stolen from the vestibule of the church. It was a gift; and, vaiuing it , very highly, I spent double its worth in advertising, but have not recovered it." " How did you word your advertisement," asked a merchant. " Here it is," said the man, producing a slip cut from a newspaper. The merchant took it and read : " Lost, from the vestibule of church, last Sunday evening, a black silk umbrella. The gentleman who took it will be handsomely rewarded by leaving it at No.—, San Fernando street." "Now," said the merchant, " I am liberal advertiser, and always found that it paid me well. A great deal depends upon the manner in which an advertisement is put. Let us try for your umbrella again, and if you do not acknowledge then that advertising pays I will purchase you a new one." The mercant then took a slip of paper from his pocket, and wrote, " If the man who was seen to take an umbrella from the vestibule of the church last Sabbath evening, does not wish to get iato trouble, and have a stain cast upon the Christian character which he values so highly, he will return it to No. —, San Fernando street." This duly appeared in the paper, and on the following morning the man was astonished when he opened the front door of his residence. On the porch lay at least a dozen umbrellas of.all shades and sizes that had been thrown in from the side walk, while the front yard was literally

paved with umbrellas.. Many of them had notes attached to them saying tKat they Had 'been take.x by mistake, and begging the loser to keep the liitlfe affair quiet.